Boise Hawks implode late, Vancouver takes NWL title

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Boise, IDAHO (KBOI) - A critical fielding error and seven unearned Vancouver runs doomed the Boise Hawks chances at a first Northwest League title since 2004 Sunday night.

Vancouver won its second straight NWL crown, 12-9 over Boise in front of 1,517 fans in Memorial Stadium.

Before ending with a bang, the game started with a bang; the teams combined for six runs in the first inning. Boise's Dan Vogelbach accounted for three runs, sending a ball into deep centerfield for a three-run homer which put the Hawks up 4-2.

Vancouver and Boise traded three runs each in the fourth inning, and the score was 7-5 heading into the top of the eighth.

Hawks manager Mark Johnson elected to pull pitcher Michael Heesh after three and one-third innings of one-hit relief in favor of Tyler Bremer.

Bremer walked two batters, and left the game with one out in the eighth and his two runners on base for Vancouver. Edward Orozco came in to relieve Bremer, but Vancouver loaded the bases after a fielding error at third by Boise's Jeimer Candelario.

Orozco picked up the second out of the inning, hit Jorge Flores with a pitch, before allowing the Canadians back-to-back singles and a triple - and six runs to take a commanding 12-7 lead.

Boise would score once each in the eighth and ninth innings, but could get no closer, and Vancouver closed out the game on a grounder to short.